


cooking is just applied chemistry

by ClassyFangirl



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Cooking, Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 22:08:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassyFangirl/pseuds/ClassyFangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newt is, in fact, an incredible cook. Hermann tries to jealously guard that fact from the rest of the Shatterdome.</p>
            </blockquote>





	cooking is just applied chemistry

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt fill for a request on tumblr! Hee, this is a short one, but I had fun.

The Shatterdome’s worst-kept secret was, by far, the fact that Newton Geiszler was a _phenomenal_ cook.

No one really expected it of him. He was loud, often obnoxious, and could talk about kaiju organs for hours on end with no real regard for anyone who might be eating, sleeping, or, on one memorable occasion, bleeding out. If there was anyone at the Hong Kong Shatterdome one would guess would be the finest cook, not a single person would guess Newt, but there it was.

The trouble was this: outside of special occasions, Newt only cooked for Hermann. On holidays and for the lucky few’s birthdays, he’d bring something incredible to the party, and it’d be gone within fifteen minutes. Everyone crossed their fingers that he’d get them for the holiday gift swap, because he _always_ made something incredible- Herc swore by the peppermint bark he received one year, said he’d never had anything quite as good.

And everyone wanted _something_ from him, and would try anything to get it.

“Look, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important,” Tendo said, striding to keep up with Newt’s manic pace. “It’s me and Alison’s fifth anniversary, our first one since the Breach closed, and I really want to get her something special.”

“So, come on, jewelry, clothes?” Newt shuffled through the stack of papers he was carrying. “Isn’t that what people usually get for big anniversaries? Is she not getting you a diamond-studded bow tie?”

Tendo laughed as they rounded the corner. “Alison’s not big on jewelry, and she remembers those lemon-y cookies you made at the last holiday party-”

“Springerle,” Newt corrected.

“Right, yeah- she _loved_ those, man, it’d be so great-”

“Mr. Choi,” Hermann said, appearing out of nowhere. Tendo was startled into stepping backwards. “I feel as though Doctor Geiszler has made it abundantly clear that he does _not_ cook for just any reason.”

“Aw, Hermann, don’t say it like _that,_ ” Newt said, “I’d do it if I wasn’t so busy-”

“It’s okay,” Tendo said, continuing to step backwards. “It’s all right, man, I- I can find her something else. Thanks, Newt, it’s all right- see you around, okay?”

“Oh, uh. Yeah. Bye, Tendo!”

And so it went.

At some point, word got out that Newt kept his leftovers in the lab refrigerator. That meant sneaking food would be possible, if difficult. Raleigh and Mako felt they were up to the task.

Mako entered the lab first. Newt was out, and Hermann was working at his chalkboard, not looking in the direction of the fridge. “Doctor Gottlieb!” she said, smiling at him.

Hermann glanced over and returned her smile with a hesitant upward quirk of the lips. “Ranger Mori. A pleasure, as always. How can I help you?”

“I had some questions to ask about the jaeger OS code. I’m working on renovating Cherno Alpha, and I wanted to talk to you about the original Mark I coding.”

They talked, and Raleigh snuck in, crossing over to the fridge. He picked through the tupperware containers until he found a couple that seemed likely, and started to gather them in his arms.

“-similar to the coding you’ll find in Gipsy Danger, and on that subject, Mr. Becket! I think you’ll find that you have in your hands are, in fact, samples of Otachi’s lung, Scunner’s liver, and, if I’m not mistaken, Leatherback’s skin tissue. So not only will you find no pleasure from eating them, I think Doctor Geiszler would be _quite_ upset to see his samples go missing.”

Raleigh slowly, silently put the containers back in the fridge and hung in the doorway and waited on Mako. No way was he going to try talking them out of this. Not with _Gottlieb_.

“As for you, Miss Mori.” Hermann smiled down at her gaping expression. “Well, I am _surprised_ at you.”

“I- I am sorry, Doctor Gottlieb, I didn’t- we were- ah-” She shook her head and asked, “How did you _know_?”

Hermann almost grinned at her. “Well, even _I_ hear gossip. Did you notice, no one ever said there were leftover _meals_ in our refrigerator?”

Mako and Raleigh ran off and warned everyone else away from the lab refrigerator. Newton never found out about any of it.

 

ooo

 

“I made quiche!” Newt said, grinning broadly.

Hermann smiled from where he was seated and accepted the plate Newt handed him. “Delicious as usual, I’m sure.”

Newt pressed a kiss to Hermann’s forehead and ignored his eye-roll. “Y’know, you’re only sweet about my cooking. Hermann Gottlieb, do you only love me for my food?”

“Yes,” Hermann said dryly. “I care only for your cooking. I’d leave you in a heartbeat if you weren’t so inclined towards the culinary arts. I’m sorry you had to find out this way, _liebling_.”

Newt laughed and swatted him with his oven mitt. “You’re an ass. I shouldn’t share my pecan cookies with you.”

“Oh, you never would.”

“I could!” Newt leaned down so they were face-to-face and smirked at Hermann. “What if I did? What if I _never_ made pecan cookies again?”

Hermann tilted his chin up and kissed him roughly. Newt was warm, and smelled and tasted like his ingredients. “You never would,” he repeated against Newt’s mouth.

“Mmm. All right, you saw through my bluff.” Newt giggled and bumped their noses together. “I wanna see what kinda reaction I’d get if I said I’d never make liver and fava beans ever again.”

“I could demonstrate. But I’d like to eat first, if you don’t mind. I don’t feel I can demonstrate that sort of passion on an empty stomach.”


End file.
